The Canadian government is backing wood product manufacturers’ efforts to take advantage of the growing timber construction market in China.
Some C$5.3m has been committed to an initiative aimed at increasing Canadian wood frame construction technology and wood products in China.
Meanwhile, British Columbia (BC) premier Gordon Campbell visited Shanghai on November 1 with representatives of the BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) for the signing of three memorandums of understanding setting standards for platform frame construction and training of Chinese tradesmen.
China is encouraging private purchase of housing, with estimates that up to 15,000 timber frame homes will be built annually within five years.